A week has passed since the serious allegations of harassment against Chad Kelly, a renowned quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), were brought to the surface.
At last, on Wednesday, the CFL disclosed an ongoing investigation into these claims.
The CFL is actually investigating harassment allegations against Chad Kelly now, a week after they came out https://t.co/qNsh49V2ti pic.twitter.com/qJPcb3I78m
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 28, 2024
The accusations were part of a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by a former strength coach of the team.
The plaintiff called out the team and its high-ranking officials for their irresponsive attitude towards her reporting Kelly"s behavior.
Arguably, their negligence opened a can of worms that are now difficult to close.
She implicates assistant GM John Murphy, asserting that he reproved her for interacting with Kelly and unintentionally stirring up needless trouble.
"general manager John Murphy told her she "should not have spoken to [Kelly] and that she has now ‘opened a can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.""
Initially, the only reaction from the CFL and the Argonauts was an anonymous statement confirming knowledge of the lawsuit but no indication of an internal investigation.
"The League is currently reviewing this matter but has no further comment at this time."
The slow response from the CFL and the Argonauts bred criticism. It brought attention to the possibility of Kelly, the 2023 league Most Outstanding Player, enjoying a privileged status.
Typically, CFL players facing legal allegations are relieved of duties promptly, even without an investigation.
Despite the delay, the CFL finally released an announcement of its internal inquiry into Kelly"s conduct, posting the official statement on their website.
The CFL is committed to creating healthy and positive working and playing environments for all those associated with the league and its member clubs.
"We take the allegations against the Toronto Argonauts and Mr. Kelly very seriously and we have opened an investigation in accordance with the league’s Gender-based Violence Policy.
Out of respect for this process and all the parties involved, we will not be able to provide further comment until our investigation has been completed.
The commencement of an investigation doesn"t imply an imminent end or guaranteed retribution for Kelly."
There"s a possibility that insufficient evidence could be found to charge him with breaching league policies.
This investigation is isolated from the civil lawsuit against Kelly and the team, which might conclude differently.
In such delicate issues, the CFL, under Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, has been known to exact stern measures, even banning players from the league.
The most recent case revolves around Teague Sherman, accused of sexual assault in 2018, who found himself promptly dismissed from the Ottawa Redblacks upon the charges.
The comparisons with earlier cases end here, however. Sherman faced criminal charges, unlike Kelly, with differing severity in the accusations.
Future actions against Kelly could range from temporary suspension to outright bans, as seen in the past.
More light will be shed on the situation as the investigation unfolds, giving a clearer view of the path lying ahead for both the CFL and Chad Kelly.
